Package



April 14, 1942.

PACKAGE Filed oct. 14, 193s #WEA/TQQ QEOFFEEY C'. L/IYCOC/f G. c.LmfcocKA l 2,279,471

Patented Apr. 14, 1942 Y Geoffrey Cecil Laycock, Norwich, EnglandApplication October 14, 1939,-Serial No. 299,549 In Great BritainOctober 26, 1938 l Claim. (Cl. 20G- 44) This invention relates to animproved method of packing articles and holding the same in position ina box, and is more particularly concerned with the packing ofchocolates, and other sweets and confectionery, although, as will bereadily appreciated, it is applicable to the packing of other smallarticles in one or more layers in a box.

I-Ieretofore the usual methods of packing chocolates in a box have beeneither Ito place each individual chocolate in a crinkled paper cup or,alternatively, to dispose a line of chocolates transversely across thebox in a paper trough. In both cases, mpre especially the former, once afeW chocolates have been removed from the layer the remaining chocolatesare free to move about, with the result that it is no longer possible topick out a particular type of chocolate with reference to its originalposition in the box, the

chocolates rattle and rustle as the box is moved and the chocolates areliable to be damaged.

It is, therefore, the chief object of the present invention to provide asimple and cheap method of packing chocolates and other small articlesin a box which will overcome the abovementioned disadvantages.

The method of packing articles and holding the same in position in a boxaccording to the present invention comprises disposing the articles inthe selected positions, placing a sheet of rigid or semi-rigid materialhaving appropriately shaped holes, the edges of which are slit to formtabs, over the articles and then bringing said sheet down over thearticles, thereby causing said tabs to become located up the sides ofthe articles in order to hold the same.

According to a further feature of the present invention, signal oridentification tabs are provided around the edges of the apertures,these signal or identiaction tabs being, when the rigid or semi-rigidsheet is brought down about the chocolates or the like, adapted not onlyto become located about the sides of the chocolates or the like but toextend above the holding tabs so as to provide a means of identifyingthe particular kinds of chocolates or the like.

In order that this invention may be the more clearly understood andreadily carried into effeet I will proceed to describe the same withreference to the accompanying drawing, which illustratesby Way ofexample and not of limitation one convenient embodiment of the presentinvention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a box of chocolates packed accordingto the present nvention, v

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lsemi- .rigid apertured memberprior to being applied spective view of a single packed chocolate.`

Referring now to the drawing, an ordinary chocolate box I of therequired size is taken (the particular known form of box shown inthedrawing has certain advantages which Willbe mentioned hereinafter) andthe chocolates Il are arranged in the desired positions (and pattern ifrequired) with, if desired, the interposition of one or more sheets ofcorrugated paper or the like (not shown) 'Then aysheet of semi-rigidcard I2 having holes I3 arranged at thel required parts and of sizesapproximating tothe size of the chocolates II is taken. The edges of theholes are previously slit to form small tabs I4. This sheet ofsemi-rigid card I2 is Athen pressed down over the chocolates I I,whereupon the tabs I4 are pressed about the sides of the chocolates tohold the same neatly in the required position. The charged card I2 isthen placed in the box (see more particularly Figure 3). When it isdesired to remove achocolate it is merely necessary to grip the samewith a nger and thumb and then pull, whereupon the tabs I4 will give andthe chocolate will be removed without in any Way affecting the otherchocolates.

If desired, the said semi-rigid sheet may lbe these flanged pieces Iaand all possibility of ,Y

the sheet I2 being displaced is avoided.

If it be desired topack more than one layer, a base sheet may be laidover one packed layer y and the packing operations repeated.

In addition to overcoming the above-mene tioned disadvantages of thepreviously proposed methods of packing chocolates, the present inventionis simple and cheap to carry out and,

furthermore, has the advantage that .the various types of chocolate maybe designated, for exv ample, by means of appropriate indicationsprinted on the semi-rigid sheet.

Alternatively, signalling or indicating tabs suchas Il may be providedat an appropriatev part of the edge of the aperture, these signallingbut with an ordinary open-topped box the choco. lates may be arranged inposition on the botV tom of the box before the sheet I2 is positionedabout the same.

I claim:

In a package for small articles, an outer box, a tray formed ofresilient flexible material and ttable within said box and provided witha plurality of apertures smaller than said articles respectively, theedges of said apertures having short radial slits forming short tonguestherebetween, and a relatively long and large combined signal andretaining tab of T-shape projecting radially from the edge of each ofsaid apertures toward the center thereof and having a relatively largehead on its free end toward the center of said aperture, which headcarries individual identifying indicia displayable across the top of therespective articles when said articles are inserted in said apertures,whereby when said articles are respectively inserted in said aperturessaid tongues resiliently grip and hold said articles, and said tabfurther resiliently grips and holds said articles and projectsrelatively far upwardly on the side of said article and identifies therespective article in each of said apertures.

GEOFFREY CECIL LAYCOCK.

